Photo courtesy of Warrick Page/HBO

For a show called Winning Time, its thesis seems simply to pose the question: “Isn’t it fun to take such a big risk that it will either tank your whole life, or make you a winner?” Beyond that, Winning Time does not dive particularly deep (at least not yet) into some huge issues that the time period and the subject matter encompass. Its cold open shows Magic Johnson (Quincy Isaiah) getting his HIV diagnosis, but then the first episode is a raucous ride as Jerry Buss (John C. Reilly) compares basketball to sex: “There are two things in this world that make me believe in God—sex and basketball.” Nonetheless, even if one does not learn too terribly much about accurate Lakers history throughout Adam McKay’s historical fiction, they will indeed have a whole lot of fun watching.

1. A Charismatic Protagonist: While there are so many compelling true story figures in this piece—including Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jerry West, Norm Nixon, and many more storied players and stars of the moment—Adam McKay decided to make Jerry Buss his protagonist. How John C. Reilly ended up as Jerry Buss is a story unto itself. Once one watches Reilly nail Buss (and does a bit of digging on Buss, a legend himself) it’s hard to imagine anyone else ever playing the role. Buss had an epic life. He saved every penny he could early on when he worked as a chemist so he could invest in real estate to pay the bills and spend life in a less stressful job as a teacher. Making much of his fortune in real estate, Buss purchased the Lakers in a deal that also involved the transfer of the Chrysler Building. The show does often focus on Buss’s more wily side—highlighting his witty nature, his addiction to alcohol, and also his addiction to women. Fans of the franchise may yearn to see more of Buss’s true love of basketball and the City of Los Angeles. One can hope that with the brilliance of Reilly and McKay steering the ship, a fuller portrait of a complicated but brilliant man will emerge.

2. The Beauty of Los Angeles: There’s no doubt that no expense was spared on Winning Time. The pilot alone gives epic looks at The Forum, Randy’s donuts, multiple estates, incredible studio spaces, and a re-creation of the Airplane! set along with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s famous scene. Not to mention the show is replicating Los Angeles in the 1980s, cars, clothes, and venue details included. It’s a great time capsule of the city in a moment of transition. Those around in 1980s LA speak of hazy air and the extreme juxtaposition of industrial and residential life. Historically, the city—much like the rest of the country—was a dichotomy itself. There was double-digit inflation, rising unemployment and the AIDS epidemic taking the lives of huge talent. It was also the “me” decade of excess and the beginning of punk and new wave. Ultimately, what a backdrop for the “Showtime” era of The Lakers.

3. An Incredibly Specific Look: Winning Time is shot by Director of Photography Todd Banhazl. One can feel the haze, glory and 80s aesthetic that made the Lakers’ yellow meld into a softer film look. The show is a wonderful blend of multiple mediums. There are archival photos and footage used along with filmic recreations, new recreations, and of course wonderfully fun original sequences created just for the show. Banhazl himself told Digital Trends in an interview on how he achieved the look where “you can like eat the color, you know what I mean?”

4. Room for More Basketball: It’s true McKay has made a show for what feels like everyone. One can enjoy this series without being an avid basketball or Lakers fan. BUT the moments of basketball glory and nostalgia are so lovely that it absolutely left this viewer (who rarely watches the sport) watching much much more basketball-related drama. These often feel like the most moving moments of the series. Magic’s bravado is just as entertaining as when Norm Nixon (DeVaughn Nixon) knocks him down a peg. His triumphs are equally engrossing when he’s out on the town as when he takes in Abdul-Jabbar’s goggles in the locker room. It will be interesting to see how much time McKay devotes to the court throughout the ten episodes. 

5. The Male Ego and Those Who Keep It in Check: There is somewhat of an examination of the male ego here. The 1980s were a time when women still served cocktails in meetings and were then given a sideways glance if they chose to stay in the room after serving the men. In the early 80s, it was still a time of free love and good cocaine for those who could afford both More often than not it felt like men were more in the driver’s seat in both of these situations. McKay gives his protagonists Claire Rothman (Gabby Hoffman) and Jeanie Buss (Hadley Robinson) agency but it often sadly feels limited. Jeanie is most often simply seeking approval of her father and Rothman, the man who ran all entertainment at The Forum in addition to booking all the Lakers game dates at home. She must kowtow to her male opponents more often than she would like throughout the pilot. Again, it’s still early in the series but McKay has set up two strong women that are easy to root for and deserve comeuppance throughout the show. 

Final Takeaway: Winning Time is a gorgeously shot rich world that feels signature McKay. While sometimes McKay’s asides to camera are hysterical, other times it makes characters feel distant as if they are literally putting up a wall. McKay’s challenge here is balancing truth and fiction while also maintaining an entertaining narrative in a world where so much color, excess, ego, money, sex and drugs merge into a cornucopia ode of Los Angeles’ days of yore.